Not to be confused with the Chimpanzee, the Bonobos are characters and a species unto themselves. Like the Chimps, they are victims of habitat loss and hunting for bush meat, which should also be known as cannibalism since Bonobos and Chimps share virtually all of human DNA.

Male and Baby by Tambako the Jaguar

Chimpanzees

Chimps! So much to say about these wonderful creatures. The Jane Goodall Institute estimates that there are fewer than 300,000 chimpanzees left in the wild, down from over a million in the 1990s.

Bonobo Conservation InitiativeBased in Washington, D.C. and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), this organization protects bonobos and their habitat and empowers local communities in the Congo Basin.

The Jane Goodall InstituteJane. Where would we be without her? Founded in 1977 by world renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, JGI is best known for work with chimpanzees, but the organization and its founder are deeply concerned about all animals, including humans.

The largest primates, gorillas are ground-dwelling vegetarians who live in Central Africa in precariously small numbers.

There are a number of organizations working tirelessly to save gorillas and that are in need of much support.

Gorilla DoctorsDedicated to saving the mountain gorilla species one gorilla patient at a time, this team of veterinarians from around the world, provides hands-on medical care to sick and injured mountain gorillas living in the national parks of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

﻿The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund﻿This fund, named after the passionate activist who was murdered in 1985, estimates there to be a mere 900 mountain gorillas left in the entire world. Sigourney Weaver, who played Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist, remains closely involved with the organization.

﻿The Gorilla Foundation Koko.org﻿For more that 40 years, Dr. Penny Patterson has been communicating with a gorilla named Koko using sign language and through this communication, The Gorilla Foundation has provided invaluable research into the rich and nuanced emotional lives of gorillas.

Humans

Yes, we are endangered. Not in terms of our sheer and ever-increasing numbers of course, but because of those ever-increasing numbers and the fact that our global ecosystem is severely out of balance due to complex factors such as irresponsible and greedy transnational corporations.

These fascinating bright-eyed creatures are some of the most endangered species in the world and are found off the coast of Africa in Madagascar. There are five families, 15 genera, 101 species and subspecies of Lemur. Diversity is an understatement!

Orangutans are the only great apes that are native to Asia. And specifically to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. They are the most tree-dwelling of all the great apes. Incredibly intelligent and endearing, orangutans have fans worldwide, but sadly and infuriatingly they are rapidly losing their habitat due to demands for palm oil, which is used in countless products such as shampoo and snack foods. Orangutans are also victims of the bushmeat trade and their bones are coveted for traditional "medicine." They are also desired as illegal pets.